How One AV Company Turned Non-Profit Fundraisers into Virtual Event Gold
We have been witness to the landscape of live events becoming dormant and giving way to the emergence of virtual events. The event industry is made up of tenacious solution seekers and many of our vendor friends have been finding creative ways to not only survive but to thrive in our changing climate. Marianne Jackson, Creative Director of Kennedy Events, recently sat down with Tom Durante, trusted partner and owner of The Lux Productions, to talk about how he reinvented his 20-year-old AV production company as a go-to resource for virtual event fundraisers.
KE: How has the transition from live to virtual events been for you and your team?
Tom: There was so much unknown at the beginning, we had to pause to see what was going to happen. Then by early April, we recognized there were needs we could be fulfilling right now. Our clients still need to have events. My first conversations started with auctioneer friends because non-profit fundraisers are a third of our business and I immediately got traction on that. I made an investment, bought more cameras, and built two broadcast studios at our warehouse to create safety and efficiency. We have been booked up since.
What is something that you wish your clients knew before coming to you for virtual event support?
I’m doing a lot of educating and comforting our clients, but when it comes down to it, it’s not that different than a live event. You still need content, but coordination and planning are actually simpler because you don’t need all the onsite management of logistics.
I enjoy educating clients because:
I’m giving them the confidence to know that it’s going to be okay. When you hire the right team, we are on this journey with you. We won’t let you fail.
I’m getting them to realize it’s going to be different and that’s not a bad thing.
What is a common mistake or assumption you find clients making?
Thinking it’s an apples-to-apples translation from a live event. Taking the end game goal and moving it into a broadcast format is essential. It’s about creating an emotional response for the attendees.
What is a creative virtual event solution you've implemented?
We saw a need for graduations, so we had the idea to set up a big LED wall in a parking lot where everyone could watch the program from their cars or from home. It was like taking a drive-in movie theater experience by tying the elements of a live event and a live broadcast together. This worked so well that we did several of these in June.
What is a top factor for virtual event fundraising success from an AV perspective?
Not making the show too long! Keeping it under an hour is what I advise. I’m working closely with Kennedy Events on the Marin Humane Gala and they’ve done a great job creating a really tight and compelling agenda to keep the audience engaged and energy high.
Are You Ready to Take Your Fundraiser Virtual?
If you’re considering moving your upcoming fundraiser to a virtual platform, Kennedy Events is here to help you. We have the knowledge and resources to help you bring in much-needed capital for your non-profit. Give us a call today and schedule a free 30-minute consultation with a virtual event expert.
MaRIANNE JACKSON
Marianne Jackson is a senior producer and the creative director at Kennedy Events. She specializes in making our client’s biggest design and decor dreams tangible while also ensuring that the event day menu is worthy of a Zagat mention. (Seriously, her taste and culinary connections are that good). Her fervor for adventure, cuisine, and aesthetics is visibly apparent in every event—whether in-person or virtual—she produces.
About Kennedy Events
Kennedy Events began with one goal in mind—to produce high-level corporate events with just as much strategy as style. Maggie founded the company in 2000, found her match in Paige, and in 2011 the two became official partners. Since then, these two resourceful and brilliant creatives have pooled their strengths to build one one of the most the most sought after corporate event companies in San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles.
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